freedman



Oct. 31, 1944.

B. H. FREEDMAN TICKET ISSUING momma:

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 27, 1940 Oct. 31, 19. an; FREEDMAN 2,361,392

TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed Dec. 27 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 9

PALAcgV PALACE PALACE: PALACg E A :25 4 38/ 52 PALACE PALACE /v ZZS K 38I5'3 I 38153 [:76 PALACE. PALACE as I nwcwrw? A 3854 BENJAMIN Ii Eva-5mm a Arrafme) Patented Oct. 31, 1944 UN I T E ST TES FAT NT OFF ICE TICKET ISSUllNG MACHINE Benjamin H. Freedman,-AsburyrPark, N. J.

Application December 27, 1940, Serial 'No. 371,858

17 :Claims.

This invention relates to a ticket issuing machine, particularly adapted for the issuance of tickets for places of amusement.

It has been proposed for .the purpose of providing a better check on the honesty of employees of theaters and the like, and to facilitate accounting, to identify each ticket issued as part of issued what is, in fact, one ticket, comprising,

however, a number of sub-tickets orunit areas not readily separable from each other, the entire ticket being severable along a weakened or perforated line extending lengthwise of the'ti'cket and transverse to the various sub-tickets.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a machine .forissuing tickets of the. general type just indicated, identifying them with numbers or other charactersindicative of the total issued in a single cycle of operation. The invention, however, is not solely adapted for the issue of .tickets of the type described above, but may be used for printing matters upon tickets of conventional type.

A further object of the invention in the provision of selecting meansfor the issue of one or more tickets or sub-tickets in a cycle of operation, depending upon depression of a selected key interconnected with a selective printing mechanism.

These and other objects of theinvention relating to details of construction and operation will be apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away, of a ticket issuing unit embodying the improvements indicated above;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view viewing the unit from the opposite side'and showing particularly variou elements located behind one of the side plates;

. Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the unit with certain parts broken away to show details;

Figure 4 is a further fragmentary vertical section of the unit partiallyv broken away in the lower right hand corner thereof to show a control strip Figure 5fis airron't elevation showing certain details of the key controlling mechanism;

Figured is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on a plane the trace of'which is indicated at '6-6 in Figure 4; I

Figure '7 is a similarse'otion taken on a plane the trace of which isindicatedat l "l in Figure Figure 8 is ahorizontal section illustrating in particular a group of cams determining the period of operation of themachine;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical section showing in particular details of a platen mechanism and the manner in which a printing unit is as-' .sociated with it;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary section taken on the plane the trace of which is indicated at i'0-I 0.111 Figure 9; g

Figure 11 'isa side elevation of a printing unit;

Figure 12 is a plan View of the printing unit;

Figure 13 isa face view of the printing unit looking toward the printing'elements thereof;

:Figure 14 is a :vertical section through the printing unit;

Figure 15 is aperspective View of an adjustable printing element involved insaid unit; and

Figure 16 is an elevation-:ofa ticket adapted to. be issued by the improved machine.

A complete ticketissuing machine-embodying the principles of the present inventioncomprises usually a plurality of separate units each ad-apt ed'for theissue of tickets of a single denomination. These units are received in conventional fashion in a single casingand are adapted to be drivenby: a single motor connected to a countershaft provided with individual pinions for the various units into mesh .with which pinions the driving gears of the various units move as they are'placed in proper position within'the casing. Since the case and counter "shaft arrangement "formno part of the present invention, it need one unit will be described in detail.

:Each unit comprises a pair'of side plates? and 4 and an intermediate plate 6 to serve as the principal supports for the various operationelements. Other bracket arrangements, crossbrackets, etc. are provided, as will be evident hereafter, but since'they may take various convenient forms, they Will not be described in detail.

The. machine comprises 'a set of keys 8 which may, for example, and as disclosed, be five in number'for the purpose of issuing one to five tickets, unit areas or subtickets in a single operation. Each of the keys 8 is provided with a shank I0, the various shanks being shaped to bring their lower portions in substantially a sin is a rocking lever 20, each being normally urged V by an individual spring 22 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4. Each of the levers is provided with a forwardly and up- ,wardly projecting upper end 24 overlapping in a vertical direction, a corresponding step 28 pro- .videdon the bracket 28. The levers 2B are 'arranged, as illustrated, in staggered relationship and have their lower ends extending between spacer plates 44 which serve to' keep them separatedf'and in proper'lateral position.

I The levers 20 extend downwardly through an opening in a'locking plate 30 provided with a series of steps 32 adapted'to engage shoulders 3| on the. levers as described hereafter." The plate 30 isengageableby the lower end 34 of arocking lever 36 pivoted at 38, and provided with a turned upper end 39 engageableflby'the operator to lockthe machine. The plate 30 is mounted for forward andrearwardmovementby reason 0f. the provision thereon of a. downwardly directed flange 40 provided with slots embracing pins 42 carried by the side plate 2 'of the machine. a

The levers 20 are provided with downwardly 'faci'ng'shoulders or steps 4G and withsloping edges 41 no'rmallyengaging the steps .32 of the plate 30, under the action of springs 22."

Corresponding to each of the levers 20 there is a lever 48' having its forward end 50 projecting beneaththestep 48 of its corresponding lever 20. These levers 48 project between the spacing plates 44 previously mentioned and are pivoted "on a common rod 52 extending across the ma- V chine. 1 The levers 48 have downwardly and rearwardly extending arms of equal length provided .with notches Q54 and sloping cam surfaces 56 adapted to cooperate with the turned ends58 of a series of detent levers 60 of which there is one for each of the levers 48.

Mounted also upon the pin 52 is a yoke 62 having a hat portion underlying all of the levers 43 and adapted to be engagedby them. A spring :64 normally urges this yoke 62 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in- Figure2. The yoke is provided with an arm 66 engaged 'by an abutment portion 68 of a lever Ill pivoted'on a pin 12 and provided with a nose 13'adapted to engage a switch controlling plate I4 secured to a transverse pin I6 pivoted in the frame. Each of the plates 14 is provided with an ear 18 .arranged .to extend laterally of the unit and overlap the corresponding plate I4 ofv the next unit; or, in

the case of the last unit, theear I8 engages the 1 motor-controlling switch. This arrangement is identical with that illustrated and described in ,PatentNo. 2,103,720," dated December 28, 1937, to Reuben H. Helsel. It is sufficient to mention the yoke 62 in any unit by any of the keys thereof is effective to close the switch energizing the common driving motor.

To the upperend of the lever I0 is pivoted at a link 82 urged forwardly by a, strong spring 84 connected between it and a fixed portion of the frame. The connections of this link will be hereafter described.

The yoke 82 is provided with a depending arm 86 with which cooperates a forwardly extending arm 88 carried by a shaft 89 which also carries a depending lever 90 provided with a rounded end 92 engageable, under the action of spring herein that by reason of thisinterengagement ofthe switch controlling plates, the rocking of 96, with the ticket supply strip S passing upwardly through the guide channel, indicated at 94; which guide channel is pivoted at its upper end at 95 so as to be movable for insertion of the ticket strip, as indicated hereafter. This guide channel is formed primarily of two spaced strips of metal between which the ticketstock passes.

The yoke 62 is also provided with a rearwardly extending arm 98, which is adapted to be acted upon at a suitable time in the cycle of the machine by a cam I00, which forms one of a group of cams carried by a hub secured to a gear I02 and rotatably mounted upon a fixed transverse pin II4. g

p The various levers 62 previously mentioned are pivoted on a common transverse pin I04 and urged in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 2 and 4 by means of individual springs I06 connected; between them and a fixed portion of the frame. Each of the levers BI] is provided with a cam follower 'portion I08 which is nor'mallyspaced from an individual correspond? ing cam III]. There i sa cam III] corresponding 'to' each of the levers'fill, and all of these cams have rises IIIi located in the same angular position relative to the gear I82. However, these cams terminate at different positions, indicated at 'I I8, the cam corresponding to the issue of one ticket having the greatest angular extent, the cam corresponding to the issue of two tickets having less angular extent, and so on, up to the cam controlling the issue of five tickets, which has the least extent. These various cams are spaced by discs II2 between which the follower portions I08 of the various levers project so as to be properly positioned for cooperation with their respective cams;

The hub of the group'of cams iust'referred to also carries a cam I20, as illustrated in Figure 2, provided with a drop I22.

' On a transverse-pin I26 is mounted a yoke I28 provided with four steps, illustrated at I30, arranged to engage'the'ends I24 of the levers 6B,

which are operated in the issuing of two to five tickets Thereis no step provided corresponding to the lever 60 which operates in the issuingof a single ticket, its end 124 being inoperative. The yoke I28 is provided with a bell crank, one end of which, I32, carries apin, I34, projecting laterally through the plate 5 for the purpose hereafter described. The other arm, I36,-of the bell crank follows the cam I20, under the action of a spring urged member 326 engaging the pin I34.-

On the pin I04, providing the pivot for the levers B0 is journalled a'yoke member I42 embracing the group of levers and provided with'a plate I44, engageable by the levers under the adjust- 'ment'afforded by a, pair of screws I46, the plate j being loosely held inside the transverse portion of the yoke by means of a screw I43 threadedyinto the plate and passing loosely through an opening in the yoke and pressed outwardly by a compression spring I45. The yoke I42 is provided with an upwardly extendingarm I38 urged in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure '2, by a weak spring I44 and supporting, on a pivot pin I48, a knurled'feed roller or disc I50 to which is secured a pinion I52 meshing with a gear I54, to which is secured a cooperating knurled feed roller or disc 288 journalled on a fixed pin 289. The rollers I50 and 288 are arrangedto pinch and feed the ticket strip passing upwardly through the guide 94, and for this purpose extend into slots in the plates forming the guide 54.

Returning to the connections of the link 82,

that link is pivoted to a double-armed lever I56,

which is mounted on a stud I53. One arm of this lever is formed as a hook I65) adapted to be engaged by a pin "32 carried by a gear segment IE4 pivoted at I46 to a gear I72 and urged outwardly by a spring I88 toward a position which, in operation, is limited by a pin I'Il! projecting from the gear I72 through an enlarged opening in the segment I54. The gear i'lZ is cut away for a portion thereof, which is adapted to be bridged by the segment H54. In its inner position, this segment permits a gap in the continuity of the teeth, and consequently the teeth are out of mesh with the individual pinion I65 for the unit carried by the common countershaft IG'I,

for the several units. On the other hand, when the segment W4 is released, its teeth provide a continuous set with the teeth of gear I12, and meshing and proper drive will result. This clutching arrangement is not new in this particular machine, and its function and operation are the same as in prior Patent No. 2,219,650,

dated October 29, 1940, to Reuben H. Helsel.

direction, as viewed in Figure 2. The lever I82 has a turned forward end I86, which, in the stationary position of the machine, underlies the rear end of the switch controlling plate I4, As

will be pointed out hereafter, this lever serves to maintain the switch closed until the cycle is completed.

' A pinwheel I88, provided with pins I 90, is journalled in the frame of the machine in such fashion as to project the pins I94 through a slot in the ticket guide 84 and into engagement with.

the openings in the ticket strip feeding through the guide. The purpose of the movement of the guide 94 about its pivot 95 previously referred to is to permit the guide to be moved away from the pins so that they will not obstruct the feeding of the ticket strip through the guide in the initial threading of the machine. A spring 222 normally urges the guide into the position illustrated in Figure 2. This spring 222 serves also to apply tension to another member, hereafter referred to.

A blade 9| urged by a spring I93 toward the pinwheel I38 serves by engagement behind the pins I99 to prevent any retrograde movement of the pinwheel. It yields readily to permit free forward movement of the pinwheel.

Secured to the shaft of the pinwheel I88 is a star wheel I92 having V-shaped notches therein corresponding in numberto the pins I34. Secured also to the pinwheel shaft to rotate with it is a pinion I94 which, through intermediate gears I96 and I98 drives the pinion 200 of the counter 202. As will be pointed out hereafter, the pinwheel does not serve to drive the ticket strip, but is rotated by the feed of the ticket strip. Accordingly, the counter serves only to count the actual tickets issued by the machine. An operation in the absence of the ticket strip at the position of the pinwheel I96, even if it occurred due to a failureof the lever 9fl'to effect its control, would'not result in registration by the counter.

Adapted to engage within the notches of the star wheel I92 is a, roller 2H4 carried at the forward end of a lever 206 pivoted at 208 to a lever 2 I I], which is mounted on a transverse pin2 I 4 and is provided with'a roller 2ft arranged to be acted upon by a cam 2I2 rotating with the gear I12. The spring 222 heretofore referred to serves .to urge the roller 2I6 toward the cam 2I2.

To the link 2% is pivoted at 224 another link 226 provided with a slot 228 embracing a pin 230 carried by lever 2H]. The link 226 has a turned upper end 232 abutting, under the action of the spring 236, the lower end of a screw 234threaded through the pin 2I4 and having its upper end extending to the top of the unit so as to :be readily adjustable. As will be evident from Figure 1, the adjustment of the abutment screw 234 serves for the accurate positioning of the roller 204, :in effect approximately about pin 248, and hence for the accurate angular positioning of the star wheel I92. This adjustment is important to insure that the proper portion of the ticket strip is presented to the severing knife at the time cutting takes place.

Rotating also with the gear I12 is the gear 238, which drives gear 240 and through it a gear 242 provided with a hub 244. This last gear 242 drives the pinion I54, to which is secured the feed roller 288.

To the hub 244 of gear 242 is secured a disc 2'46 carrying on opposite faces thereof rollers 248 and 250, respectively, adapted to act upon the arms 252 and 254 of the knife operating lever 256 pivoted upona transverse pin 258 and engaging at its upper end the movable knife 2%. This knife 260 is urged downwardly by a springf262 reacting between it and the lever 256 into proper engagement with the fixed blade 264 to effect proper cutting of the ticket strip fed through the guide 94.

The hub 244 ofthe gear 242, which is journalled upon a fixed pin 268, carries a cam 266 adapted to engage a follower roller 26! carried by a plate 212, which is provided with guiding slots embracing pins 210, so that it may be moved by the action of cam 266 against the tension of spring 214 in an upward and forward direction transverse to the directionof extent of the upper portion of .theguide 94. The plate 272 is provided with an outwardly turned flange 2'16, extending parallel to the guide 94, outside of which flange there is a plate 278 loosely mounted on the flange 216 by means of a screw 280 threaded into the plate 218 and loosely passing through an opening in the flange. A spring ZBI' surrounding the screw serves to urge the plate 218 rearwardlyto a position determined by a plurality of set screws 286, which serve as limiting stops. To the face of the plate 218 there-is secured a platen material of leather or the like 282 having its end anchored in an arm .284 fixed A pinion 3H3 secured to -mation such, for example,

nailed on fixed pins.

tothe plate 212. As will be pointed out hereafter, printing on the ticket strip iselfected by the action of cam 266 in forcing the backing platen material 282 against the ticket'strip to press it in turn against an inked ribbon backed by type.

Printing is effected through the medium of a unit illustrated in detail in Figures ll'to 15. This unit comprises side plates 290 and 292 serving as supports for the various operating parts of the unit. In cross-brackets 294 and 296 there is mounted a type carrying member or spindle 298 which, as illustrated in Figure 15, contains spaced type groups or bands 300, 302, 304 and 306. All four of these carry the nu- 'meral 5 in axial alignment. The groups 300,

302 and 304 carry the numeral 4 in axial alignmerit. The groups 300 and 302 carry the numeral 3 in axial alignment, and the group 300 additionally includes the numeral 2. The member 298 isprovided at its upper end witha pinion 308 meshing with a pinion 310 carried bya shaft 3l2 mounted parallel to the member 298. A spring 3|4'normally urges the shaft 3l2 in a direction to cause the member 298 to move beyond the position corresponding to the numeral 2 in printing position. j I

the. lower portion of the shaft 312 is in mesh with';a rack 320, suitably guided along the side plate 292 and provided at its upper end with a pin 322 projecting into a slot 324 in a lever 326 pivoted at 328 to the plate 292. This lever 326 is the one previously referred. to and illustrated in Figure 2 as engaging pin I34 'of the lever I32, When the machine is in the rest position, the engagement of the lever 326 with pin I34 results in pulling the rack 320 in opposition to the spring 314 to cause the type faces numbered 5 to be approximately in printing position. Actually, their position is slightly beyond'the printing position, so that a slight movement under the action of spring 3I4 causes them to reach proper printing position.

- The upper end of the lever 326 engages a pin 330 carried by the upper end of an arm 332 secured to a shaft 334, pivotedin the plates 290 and-292. The shaft 334 carries adepending arm 336 to which is pivoted a pawl 338 urged into engagement with a ratchet wheel 342 by means of a spring 340 reacting between the pawl and a detent 34l, also engaging the teeth of the ratchet 342 and pivoted freely on the shaft 334. The ratchet 342 is journalled upon a pin 343, on which there is also journalled a frame 362 provided with pins carrying lower and upper pinions 344 and 346, which mesh with each other and through an intermediate pinion with the ratchet Wheel 342. The pinion 344 is'adapted at proper times to mesh with a gear 348 while the pinion 346 is adapted to mesh with a gear350. These gears respectively carry the inked ribbon carriers 352 and 354, which support conventional spools of typewriter ribbon passing over a spring member 356 to maintain tension and about a guide roller .358 across the faces of the type elements carried by member 298. Additionally, they extend across the type elements on slugs 360 whichmay, for example, carry dating characters'or other inforas the name of a theater or the like. 3

The frame 362 has a tail portion 384 projecting laterally and adapted to be alternately engaged by the notched ends of levers 366 and 366 jour- Within openings in these levers there project the turnedv ends 310 and 312 of pivoted feeler blades 314 and 316 bearing upon the reels of inked ribbon.

The mechanism last referred to is for the purpose of feeding the ribbon and reversing the direction of feed at propertimes. The feeding is accomplished by the action of pawl 338, retrograde movement being prevented by the detent 341, the feeding taking place whenever the lever 326 moves rearwardly in an issuing operation. The. feelers 314 and 316 serve in a fashion which will be obvious to shift the frame 362 to cause either pinion 344 or pinion 346 to drive the inked ribbon.

The printing unit is made readily removable and replaceable in the machine. This end is accomplished by providing it with a notch 380 engageable with a pin 382 in the machine frame and by providing it additionally with a pin 384 engageable in a notch 386 in the machine frame. The latter notch is so arranged as to take the force of printing applied by the platen 282 without disturbing the printing unit. To facilitate removal of the unit, it may be provided with a member 380 pivoted on a transversepin and liftable by the finger of an operator to serve as a handle for removing the unit.

The type of ticket to be issued by the unit is illustrated in Figure 16 at T. The strip S fed into the machine is provided with central openings illustrated in the ticket at A and provided down its center line with perforations, indicated atB. The ticket strip is preferably not provided with the usual transverse weakened or perforated lines, but is, in fact, preferably of stock which cannot be readily torn along a well defined transverse line. The strip is preprinted, for example, with the name of the theater, the price and with serial numbers, indicated at N. Each ticket issued may comprise one to live subtickets. For example, in Figure 16 the ticket T comprises four sub-tickets on the uppermost one of which the machine prints the date indicated at D and on each of the next three the number 4" indicated at E. The ticket is designed to be used in carrying out a checking and accounting system, which need not be described herein. It will sufiice to state that the ticket issued by the machine is presented to the ticket taker, who will tear it lengthwise along the line of perforations B, presenting the left according to the present embodiment, the whole.

number of sub-tickets or unit areas will be printed on each sub-ticket subsequent to the first. Examination of the stubs and their use in special fashions serves as a check on various factors and facilitates accounting. The present invention is notconcerned with the form of ticket, but solely with the fashion in which the ticket of this type is produced and issued. 7 V

The operation of the improved mechanism may now be described. In all of the figures of the drawings, the parts are shown in their initial rest positions, immediately prior to the initiation of a ticket printing and issuing operation. As was explained heretofore, the complete ticket machine will generally comprise a series of, units such as that illustrated, and in such case the ears I8 of, the plates I4 of the successive units will overlap, the last of these serving to control the closing of a master switch which will energize the common driving motor for the entire set of units. As also explained above, beneath the gear I12 of each of the units is a pinion I65 carried by a common transverse shaft I51. Initially, however, the pinions do not mesh with anything, because the segments lfi i of all of the units are withdrawn upwardly out of meshing position,

It will; be evident from the operations hereafter described that two or more units of the machine may be simultaneously operating without interference with each other.

The locking lever 36 will be in the position illustrated in Figure 4 to maintain the plate 30 in its rearmost position, so that the key control elements will be operative. The ticket strip S will be located in the unit, holding outwardly the lever 90, and accordingly removing the arresting arm 88 from an interfering position with respect to the depending arm 86. The ticket strip will be located with its upper end, which will pass through one of the openings A, directly at the position of meeting of the knife blades 268 and 264. The operation of the machine is initiated by depression of any one of the keys 8. It will be assumed that there is depressed the key which will efiect the issue of four sub-tickets, i. e., of theticket of Figure 16.

As the key moves downwardly, it will carry with it through themedium of its pin 18 a lever 20, which will, in turn, engage the free end 50 of the corresponding lever 48, moving slightly rearwardly to efiect this result as the sloping edge 51 moves down the corresponding step of the plateED. As the lever 48 rocks, its notch 54 will release the corresponding lever 60, the cam follower portion IU8 of which will drop against the surface of its corresponding; cam III]. At the same time, its end I24 will move slightly 'up wardly into the path of the corresponding step I38 of the yoke I23. As the lever 48 rocks, it will also rock the yoke 62, causing detent 66 to release lever 70, which is urged in a counterclockwise direction by the strong spring 84. As the lever Iii rocks, its end I3 depresses plate M, thereby, directly or through intermediate units, closing the motor energizing switch of the machine. At the same time, throughlink 82the member I55 is rocked releasing the pin I62 on the segment I64 to permit it to drop into mesh with the pinion I65 directly beneath it. All of the parts are thereby set up for the beginning of the issuing operation.

As the rotation of the gear I12 begins, the rise of the cam I18 will rock'the lever I82 against the tension of spring I8 3 to engage the tail of the plate 714, thereby effecting the holding down of this plate in addition to that resulting from the lever H3. As will be evident hereafter, this action of lever I82 serves to maintain the switch closed and the driving motor energized until the end of the cycle of operation, despite the fact that the lever must be restored to its initial position well prior to the end of the cycle.

Through the train of gearing the feed disc 288 will immediately start to rotate. However, it cannot feed the ticket strip because, at this time, the movement of the lever Gil will not have been suificient to press the feed disc I58 against the ticket strip to pinch it for the feeding operation.

In the very early part of the operation, the

roller 25!) on the disc 246 will engage the arm 254 of the knife controlling lever 256 to withdraw the movable blade from the end of the ticket guide, so that when feeding takes place, the ticket strip may move freely outwardly.

Very shortly after the beginning of the cycle, the cam I22 will clear thearm I36 so that the yoke I28 may rock in a clockwise direction as Viewed in Figure 4. The movement of the yoke under the action of the spring 3M of the printing unit will take place to theextent determined by engagement of One of its steps with the end I24 of the lever 60, which has been rocked. As a result, the arm 326 of the printing unit, which is connectedto the rack 320, is permitted tomove some predetermined distance which will, 'inithe present case, be sufficient to move the three "4s3 of the member 298 into printing position behind the inked ribbon. As this movement takes place, the pin 330 will be released by arm 326 serving accordingly to rock shaft 334 to retract pawl 338. Later in the cycle of operation'this action is reversed, and consequently the pawl 333 will impart a step to the inked ribbon to advance it. The advancing steps, as will be evident, will be of different lengths, depending onthe number of sub-tickets issued, but since allthat isvrequired is movement of the ribbon, the extent in each operation being immaterial, no fine adjustments of this mechanism for length of feed are necessary. The printing member 298 having been set up, as just described, the printing action ma occur. This is effected by the action of cam 266 onfollower roller 26! to press the platen 282 against the ticket strip forcing it against the inked ribbon backed up by the ticket including, of course, the dating or other slugs indicated at 360. Ac-" cordingly, in the present instance, the portion of the ticket strip which will form the first subticket is impressed With the date, while the next three sub-tickets will be impressed with the number 4. As will be evident from the shape of the cam 266, the platen is substantiallyimmediately released under the action of the spring 214. Feeding of the ticket strip may accordingly commence.

Feeding begins when the follower portion Mil of the actuated lever 60 drops off the end of'its corresponding cam H8. In the present instance, in the issue of 'four sub-tickets, the cam with which the actuated lever 69" will be engaged will be the second in order of increasing length. When such dropping ofi of the follower'portion I68 occurs, the lever 60 will move suiiiciently under the action of its strong spring I06 to rock thefeed disc I50 into tight pinching engagement'with 'the-ticket against the action of its weaker'retracting spring M0. The ticket strip will, therefore, begin its movement. v

Just prior to this event, the cam 2I2 will have engaged roller ZIB on lever 2), thereby eifect ing the retraction of roller 204 from the notch of the star wheel I92. As a result, the pinwheel I88 is free to move with the'ticket stripand will, in turn, rotate the gear 200 of the counter 202 to cause it to record the number of sub-tickets issued. The feed of the ticket strip continues until the follower I08 of the actuated lever 50 rides up the rise IIB of its cam' IIIl, thereby releasing the disc I 50 from its engagement with the strip. The

total feeding movement imparted to the ticket stripis desirably slightly in excessv of the amount necessary to bring the proper cutting line in alignment with the knives. As soon as the feeding action ends, the roller 2I6 is released by the cam 2I2 to permit the roller 204 todrop into the notch of the star wheel I02, then presented to it. It will be evident that a camming action of the roller on the. teeth of the star wheel can occur,

and this serves to move slightly in a forward or rearward direction the star wheel so as to adjust the ticket strip to, align a proper portion thereof, preferably one of theopenin-gs A, with the knives. The blade I9I does not interfere with this action, being suitably located with respect retrograde rotation of the pinwheel which might result in the ticket strips dropping out of the guide after the star wheel is released by the roller 204.

I to the pins. Its function is solely to prevent It will be evident that the adjustment afiorded by the screw 234 thus insures accurate, alignment of the ticket strip with the knives. Slight non-uniformities of manufacture make it desirable 'to provide this adjustment, though when essary The adjustment is, of course essentially that of the lever 206 about the pivot 206.

By the above operations the ticket strip will have been brought into position for cutting. The

1 once set no further adjustment is generally neccutting action is efiected by engagement of the roller 248 with the arm 252 of the knife lever 256.

' The ticket is thereby delivered to, the patron through the usual slot in the top plate of the machine.

In the meanwhile, the parts which have been displaced are being brought'back to their initial forcibly moved to its original position, the cam 56 acting upon the end 58 of the displaced lever 60 to move it outwardly to a position to engage within the notch 54. As the yoke 62 rocks, the portion 66 will move in front of the edge 68 of the,

lever'10, which, just prior to this time, will-have been rocked rearwardly by the action of cam "6 on the upper arm of the double-armed lever I56. While this motion of the lever I0 will release the switch controlling plate I4, the switch will remain closed due to the action of the lever I82,

The positioning of I56 by-cam I16 results in bringing the hook I into the path of pin I62 of the segment I64 where it remains when cam I16 clears arm I14 because of engagement of I0 with detent 66. As the pin I62 is thus arrested, the segment I64 is released from mesh with the driving pinion, and accordingly the operating parts ofthe unit stop. Just as the gear I12 reaches its final position, the lever I82 drops off the cam I18,

thereby releasing the switch plate I4 to permit the switch to open;

' The restoration of the keys may have taken place by their release immediately after the operation of the machine began. However, even if they were continuously, held down, the machine would not operate through another cycle. This result is due to the; fact that immediately after gage steps 26, swinging them forwardly to disengage their shoulders 46 from lever ends 50. Accordingly, further and quite unavoidable depression of any one of the keys will result in the swinging of the shoulder 45 into such position as not to tbe engageable by a lever 48 when the latter is restored to its initial position. Subsequent operation of the machine cannot, therefore, oc-

, our until the key is released and subsequently de pressed.

Locking of the machine is simply effected by the use of the lever 36, which is so rocked as to move the plate 30 forwardly. By this action, the steps of the plate are caused to rock the'levers 20 to such position that upon their depression they will fail to engage the lovers 48. If after such locking any key is depressed, the result ,will be the latching down of such depressed key by engagement of its shoulder 3i beneath the corresponding step 32 of plate 30. This is desirable not only to indicate that the machine is in locked condition, but to prevent tampering with the keys.

In the event the ticket strip runs out, the unit is immediately locked by the movement of arm 86 into the path of the arm 86 of the yoke 62. The lever 92 engages the ticket strip sufficiently below the knives to insure that there is always sufficient present to permit the issue of the maximum number of tickets.

In the issue of a ticket containing any different number of sub-tickets, the action is essentially the same. In case only one sub-ticket is issued, however, the yoke I28 is not arrested by any of the levers I24, and accordingly may move until the pin I34 strikes the end of the slot through which it passes in the plate 6. This movement is sufficient to cause the printing element 298 to move beyond the printing position of the 2. Accordingly, the sole printing that takes place is that due to the slugs 360.

Itis of course obvious that the spindle 298 may be provided with a greater or less number of type carrying zones or hands 360, 302, 304 and 306, in other words, for a five unit area ticket, a type zone such as 300 may be provided for each of the five ticket unit areas instead of merely for four, or on the other hand, the spindle 298 may be provided with only one, two or three type carrying zones or hands for one, two or three of the ticket unit areas of a ticket composed of five ticket unit areas, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is of coursealso obvious that instead of humeral type, the type carrying zones or bands such as the zones 360, 302, 304 and 386 may have other indicia type such as that relating to transportation, industry or distribution, without departing from the general spirit of the invention. As an instance, instead of numeral type, the spindle 298 may be provided with three type zones having type indicative of three different classes of passengers such as master, servant and animal pet. In such case the type of the particular zone might preferably be rotatably mounted on the spindle 298 so that a ticket could be produced either containing a single ticket unit area marked with an indicia indicative of master; or a two unit area ticket issued in which one unit area is marked with indicia indicative of master, and the other unit area marked with indicia indicative of servant; or on the other hand, a three unit ticket issued with one unit area marked with indicia indicative of master, a second unit area marked with indicia indicative of servant, and a third unit area marked with indicia indicative ofanimal pet. When the type bands are rotatably or adjustably mounted'on the spindle 298, various combinations of the aforesaid may readily be produced for printing tickets of one, two, or more, unit areas.

It is of course obvious that instead of the date type unit 369, independent of the spindle 298, a removable slug having supplemental indicia could be mounted on the spindle 2% Without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

It is also believed obvious that it is immaterial whether the printing operation is effected by causing-the platen 282 and ticket strip to be moved toward the type on the spindle 298 or to effect this impression with the ticket strip stationary and the type carrier movable, so far'as concerns the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

l. A ticket dispensing machine having a feed mechanism for advancing a length of ticket strip corresponding to a plurality of unit areas inturn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, means for controlling the feed mechanism according to the length of ticket to be issued, selecting means for determining the actuation of the controlling means including independent keys, printing mechanism including a spindle having a plurality of type carrying bands thereon spaced apart to'register with a succession of unit areas on the ticket strip, a bracket for rotatably mounting said spindle, means operatively associating said spindle with said selecting means for rotating said spindle to position the desired type on said hands into printing position for a predetermined number of unit areas of the ticket strip, and means operatively associated with said spindle to effect an impression of the type selected simultaneously on the selected succession of unit areas of the ticket strip and opcratively associating said controlling means with said type impressing means to actuate said feeding mechanism after having effected a type impression to discharge a ticket composed of the selected number of unit areas.

2. A ticket dispensing machine having a feed mechanism for advancing a length of ticket strip corresponding to a plurality of unit areas in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, means for controlling said iced mechanism according to the length, of ticket to be issued, selecting means for determining the actuation of the controlling means including independentkeys, printing mechanism including a spindle having a plurality of type carrying bands thereon spaced apart to register with a succession of unit areas on the'ticket strip, a bracket for pivotally mounting said spindle, means operatively associating said spindle with said selecting means for. rotating said spindle to position the desired type on said bands into printing position, the successive bands including in alinementa highest numeral type, each band but one including in alinement the next highest numeral type and so on to the smallest numeral type carried by the bands, means for eiiecting an impression of like numeral type of said bands on a succession of unit areas, the total number of unit areas corresponding to the numeral type selected, means for operatively associating said controlling means with said impression effecting means to initiate the discharge of the succession of unit areas of the ticket strip so selected, and means for thereupon severing the succession of unit areas so discharged as a ticket from the original ticket strip.

3. A ticket dispensing machine. having a printing mechanism includinga spindle having a plurality of bands of type spaced. from one another axially to register with a succession of unit areas of a ticket strip, these several bands having nu.- meral type, the highest numeral type of which are in alinement with one another, the several bands but one having their next-highest numeral type in alinement with one another and so on, leaving one band with thenumeral type on all of the several bands-and in addition the lowest numeraltype in a column by itself, the type of eachbandterminating in a cylindrical surface so that the like numeral type of the several bands may be impressed simultaneously on a succession of unit areas of a ticket strip, a bracket'for rotatably mounting said spindle, aticket strip feeding means, actuating mechanism for successively rotating the spindle to position the type selected, thereupon effecting an impression, and next effecting a feeding of the strip, and selecting mechanism operatively associated Withsaidco-ntrol mechanism for selecting type on the spindle and determining the distance of feed of the strip to correspond.

4. Ina ticket dispensing machine, the combination of a feedin mechanism'for feeding a succession of unit areas of a ticket stripcorresponde ing to the number of persons tobe admitted on a predetermined. ticket, a printing mechanismior printing on aplu-rality of said unit areas a nu meral corresponding to the number of unit areas constituting the ticket beingissued, and selecting mechanism including independent keys operativcly associated with said. feeding mechanism and said printing mechanism, each key determining the feed of a particular number of successive unit areas. and. theprinting of a corresponding numeral on the-ticket so issued the printing mechincluding a spindle having a plurality of bands spaced axially fromoneanother, each band having formed thereon one or. more numeral type, the impression faces of each of which type. is dis posed. in. a common cylindrical surface.

5. In a, ticket dispensing machine, the combination of a feed mechanism for feeding'a succession ofv unit areas of a ticket strip corresponding to the number of persons to be admitted on-a predetermined ticket, a printing mechanism for printing on a plurality of said unit areas anumeralcorresponding to the number of unit areas constituting the ticketbeing. issued. and selecting mechanism including independent keys operatively associated with said feeding mechanism and said printing mechanism, each key determining the feed of av particular number of successive unit areas and the printing of a corresponding numeral on the ticket soissued, the printing mechanism including a spindle-having'a plurality of bands spaced axially'from one another, each band having formed thereon one or more nu meral type, the impression faces of each of which typeis disposed in a common cylindrical surface; with one band having only the highest numeral type, a second band having only the highest numeral type and the next lower numeral type'with the highest numeral type in axial alinement with the highest numeral type on the first band named, the third band having the highest numeral type in alinement with the highest nu,- meral type of the first two bands, the next lower numeral type in alinement with the next lower numeral type on the said second band and a second lower numeral type, and other'bands as required having the number of the numeral type increasing the denomination of the numeral type decreasing in the order named.

6. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of a feed mechanism ior a ticket strip having a succession of ticket unit areas, a printing mechanism including a. plurality of type zones positioned to register with a succession of ticket unit areas, each type zone including indicia in alinement with any like indicia on other zones,

control mechanism operatively associated with said printing mechanism to select one or a plurality of like indicia into printingposition and also to position the feed mechanism to correspond to the indicia selected, and actuating means for effecting an impression of the indicia selected while the ticket strip is at rest and thereupon advancing the ticket strip to dispense a number of ticket unit areas corresponding to the feeding position and indicia selected. I p

7. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of a feed mechanism for a ticket strip having a succession of ticket unit areas, a printing mechanism including a plurality of type zones positioned to register with a succession of ticket unit areas, each type zone including indicia in alinement with any like indicia on other zones, control mechanism operatively associated with said printing mechanism to select one or a plurality of like indicia into printing position and also to position the feed mechanism to correspond to the indicia selected, and actuating means for simultaneously effecting an impression of all of the indicia selected and thereupon.

' ing a succession of ticket unit areas, a printing mechanismincluding a plurality of type zones positioned to register with a succession of ticket unit areas, each type zone including indicia in alinement with any like indicia. on other zones,

control mechanism operatively associated with said printing mechanism to select one or a plurality of like indicia into printing positionand also to position the feed mechanism to correspond to the indicia selected, a platen for supporting the advance portion of the ticket strip in printing position relative to said printing mechanism, and means for actuating said platen and ticket strip into engagement with said printing mechanism to effect an impression of the indicia selected and thereupon advancing the ticket strip to dispense a number of ticket unit areas corresponding to the feeding position and indicia selected.

9.'In a ticket dispensing machine. the combination of a feed mechanism for a ticket strip having a succession of ticket unit areas. a printing mechanism including a plurality of type zones positioned to register with a succession of ticket unit areas, each type zone including indicia in alinement with associated indicia on other zones, control mechanism operatively associated with said printing mechanism to select one or a plurality of associated indicia into printing position and also to position the feed mechanism to correspond to the indicia selected, and actuating v means for efiecting an impression of the indicia aecnsoe 10. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of a feed mechanism for a ticket strip having a succession of ticket unit areas, a printing mechanism including a plurality of type zones positioned to register with a succession of ticket unit areas, each type zone including indicia in alinement with associated indicia on other zones, control vmechanism operatively associated with said printing mechanism to seiect one or a plurality of associated indicia into printing position and also. to position the feed mechanism to correspond to the indicia selected, a platen for supporting the advance portion of the ticket strip in printing position relative to said printing mechanism, and means for actuating said platen and ticket strip into engagement with said printing mechanism to eiie'ct an impression of the indicia selected and thereupon advancing the ticket strip to dispense a number of ticket unit areas corresponding 'to' the feeding position and indicia selected.

' 11. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of a feed mechanism for a ticket strip having a succession of ticket unit areas, a printingymechanism including a rotatably mounted spindle having a plurality of type zones positioned toregister with a succession of ticket unit areas, each type zone including indicia in alinement with associated indicia on other zones, control mechanism operatively associated with said printing mechanism to rotate said spindle to select one or a plurality of associated indicia into printing position and also to position the feed mechanism to correspond to the'indicia selected, and actuating means for effecting an impression of the indicia selected while the ticket strip is at rest and thereupon advancing the ticket strip to dispense a number of ticket unit areas corresponding to the feeding position and indicia selected.

12. A ticket dispensing machine having a feed mechanism for dispensing a length of ticket strip corresponding to a plurality of unit areas in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, a printing mechanism comprising a plurality of printing indicia each corresponding to a diiierent number of unit areas and corresponding in position to a plurality of successive unit areas of the length of ticket strip, selecting means for simultaneously setting the feed mechanism to dispense a predetermined number of unit areas and forsetting the printing mechanism to print indicia corresponding to the number of unit areas tobe dispensed, and means for actuating said printing mechanism and said feed mechanism so that said printing mechanism may impress the desired indicia on the ticket strip at one time and only thereupon feeding motion will be imparted to the ticket strip.

13. A ticket dispensing machine having a feed mechanism for dispensing a length of ticket strip corresponding to a plurality of unit areas in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, a printing mechanism comprising a plurality of printing indicia eachcorresponding to a different number of unit areas and opposed in position along the strip to different unit areas of the length of ticket strip, selecting means for simultaneously setting the feed mechanism to dispensea predetermined number of unit areas and setting the printing mechanism to print indicia corresponding to the number of unit areas to be dispensed, and means for successively actuating said printing mechanism and and opposed in position along the strip to different unit areas of the lengthof ticket strip, selecting means for simultaneously setting the feed mechanism to dispense a predetermined number of unit areas and setting the printing mechanism to print an indicia corresponding to the number of unit areas to be dispensed, and means for actuating the printing and feed mechanism to efiect issuance of the selected number of unit areas of the ticket strip bearing corresponding indicia thereon, said last named means effecting the printing while the ticket strip is stationary.

15. A ticket dispensing machine having a feed mechanism for dispensing a length of ticket strip corresponding to a plurality of unit areas in turn corresponding to the number of patrons to be admitted on the ticket, a printing mechanism comprising a plurality of printing indicia each corresponding to a different number of unit areas, said indicia being opposed in position along the strip to different unit areas of the length of ticket strip, selecting means for simultaneously setting the feed mechanism to dispense a predetermined number of unit areas and for setting the printing mechanism to print indicia corresponding to the number of unit areas to be dispensed, and means for actuating said printing mechanism and said feed mechanism.

16. A ticket dispensing machine comprising means for guiding a ticket strip, means for feeding the ticket strip variable distances along said guiding means to issue different numbers of unit areas thereof, means controlling said feeding means to determine the extent of feed, and marking means selectively controlled by'said feed controlling means and comprising indicia arranged to mark different unit areas when they occupy their original positions prior to the beginning of feed, said marking means marking on at least the trailing unit area of the dispensed portion of said strip data varying with the extent of feed in a cycle of operation.

17. A ticket dispensing machine comprising means for guiding a ticket strip, means for severing portions from said strip, means for feeding the ticket strip variable distances along said guiding means to issue diiferent numbers of unit areas thereof, means controlling said feeding means to determine the extent of feed and the length of strip severed, and marking means selectively controlled by said feed controlling means and comprising indicia arranged to mark different unit areas when they occupy their original positions prior to the beginning of feed, said marking means marking on at least the trailing unit area of the dispensed portion of said strip data varying with the extent of feed in a cycle of operation.

BENJAMIN H. FREEDMAN, 

